University Station On-Call Peer Review Services

University Station is an extensive revitalization project in the Town of Westwood, MA, which is adjacent to the Westwood Commuter Station. The development involved the revitalization of 130 acres of underutilized commercial land into a thriving mixed-use sustainable development. In addition to generating a new multi-million dollar tax revenue stream, the development included major roadway, traffic, utility, stormwater, and urban design upgrades at the project site.

The Town sought a single firm that could provide a complete range of peer review services. As overall project manager of the peer review process, BETA led the peer review team for all project review activities including roadway design, traffic analysis, stormwater management and urban design, fiscal review, architectural review, and noise analysis.

Roadway and traffic considerations required the redesign of over two miles of roadway and included the expansion of University Avenue from a two-lane collector road to a multi-lane divided principal arterial with multiple interconnected signalized intersections.

Located within a Zone II for the Town’s primary water supply well and adjacent to an ACEC, stormwater management was a critical concern. The development included major site improvements, such as the capability to infiltrate stormwater at a quantity that not only exceeded DEP requirements, but also exceeded the projected water demand of the development. The process also considered the viability of sustainability measures such as solar installations, low flow fixtures, “Stretch Code” requirements, and LED street lighting.

The public process was a critical aspect of the review. During the course of the review, BETA was called upon to lead many of the over 30 presentations made to the Planning Board, Town Selectmen, School Committee, and other key boards and concerned abutters.

With only six months to complete the review process, responsiveness was key to the success of the process. BETA met all deadlines set by the Town and development team, resulting in a development that was overwhelmingly adopted at the Town Meeting.